Sorry this update is so long in coming, this newfangled cable internet has finally allowed me the joy of true multiplayer mayhem. So the past few weeks have been a blur of Star Wars Battlefront II for me hehe. So if you're in a game with me, avoid turrents hehe.
This chapter is pretty short, but it brings everyone up to where they need to be for the big ending. Only 3 more chapters to go, as long as everything goes as planned.
Next chapter…Tira! WOOT! I miss her so much lol
XII. White Storm
Talim and Mina quickly found themselves on the island Nightmare and Voldo had already traveled. Soul Calibur seemed to yearn for the showdown with Nightmare, and Talim was only too happy to help it get there.
When the pair came upon the opening to the pit of greed, they were surprised to find they were not the only ones there. Before them stood a young man, brandishing an all too familiar sword. They had caught up with Yunsung.
Mina tensed. "Yunsung!"
The young man spun around, his sword at the ready.
"Lay White Storm down and I won't hurt you" Mina commanded.
"If you want it, come take it!" Yunsung said defiantly, assuming his battle stance.
Mina grinned. "I was hoping you would say that."
Mina turned to Talim "I'll handle this myself."
Talim nodded, grateful that she would not have to get mixed up in their private matter.
Mina jumped out to the center of the platform, and drew her halberd. Yunsung did the same, landing a few feet away from her, his sword just as ready for battle as Mina was.
Yunsung opened the battle, thrusting his sword directly forward in front of him. Mina deftly stepped to right, avoiding the blade completely, and leaving her weapon between her and the young warrior.
She pushed her weapon forward, smashing the flat side of the halberd's blade into Yunsung's chest and knocking him back several steps. He looked up stunned at her, and Mina offered him only a smile.
Yunsung pressed the attack again, this time he stepped forward and swung his blade in a horizontal arc, aiming to slash Mina across the chest. He did not catch his prey off guard, however, for Mina just leaned over backwards deeply, allowing the blade to pass right over her stomach.
She immediately righted herself and shoved her halberd down between the warrior's feet. With a fluid motion, she struck one foot then the other, sending Yunsung first stumbling, then falling down.
The young man scrambled to his feet, frustration washing over him. He stepped away, leaving a fairly large gap between himself and his opponent.
"You're not bad, but…" Mina taunted.
Yunsung did not answer, but instead began a headlong charge at her.
Mina laughed to herself, and took a step forward. She pushed the blade of her weapon into the platform, and used the shaft to vault herself straight in the air. She hesitated a moment at the peak of her launch, her entire body pointing straight up.
When Yunsung was in the perfect spot, Mina threw herself down and towards him, creating a great deal of momentum. She brought the halberd up and over from behind her, and smashed the shaft into Yunsung's left shoulder.
Yunsung crashed to the ground again from the blow. This time he did not even attempt to get up.
"What do you want?" He demanded.
"You know what I want. I want White Storm back!"
"But I need it to find the sword of salvation!" Yunsung answered, bringing himself up to a kneeling position.
"The sword is evil! It won't save your country, it will destroy it!" Mina snapped, standing in front of the defeated man.
"I don't care if it's evil! I will defend my people!"
Yunsung suddenly swung his sword at Mina, a swing from his side aimed at the woman's stomach. Mina easily brought her halberd's staff to the side and blocked it. The blow was a feint, however.
The young man produced a dagger in his off hand, and catching Mina completely off guard, stabbed it deep into her right side, a few inches above her waistband. Blood immediately stained the area around the wound.
Mina was surprised, but her years of martial training paid off. She immediately performed a double jumping kick, each of her feet connecting with her attackers chin in rapid succession.
She pulled the blade out of her side, and tossed it away. The small blade flew from the platform and impaled in a tree on the outer perimeter of the clearing. With one sweep of her halberd, Mina knocked White Storm from Yunsung's grasp.
"You son of a bitch!" Mina screamed as she felt the blood flow down her side and leg.
Yunsung did not answer, still in a daze from the ferocity of Mina's kicks.
Mina did not need an answer, nor did she even want one. She raised her halberd over her head and charged forward, with nothing more than Yunsung's death on her mind.
Talim watched the events, and sprang forward as soon as she saw Yunsung produce the small blade. She could not reach the pair before Yunsung struck. Thankfully he hadn't hurt Mina enough to stop her, and as Talim moved forward she felt a bit relieved to see Mina strike back with her kicks.
Talim finally reached Mina right as she was about to kill Yunsung. Mina held her halberd high in the air, preparing for the blow. Talim would not allow Mina to kill, would not allow Yunsung to die.
The young man had been touched by the taint of Soul Edge, and could not help his lust to posses it. As soon as Talim destroyed the evil sword Yunsung would be released from his hunger.
The halberd was right in reach, so Talim reached up and grabbed it, pulling backwards hard. Mina was not expecting any interference, so Talim easily pulled the weapon out of her hands.
Mina spun around in surprise. "What are you doing?" She protested.
"I cannot let you kill him" Talim answered calmly, allowing Mina to reclaim her weapon.
"He tried to kill me after I beat him! If we don't finish him he'll just keep trying!"
"Look at him. He's unarmed, beaten bloody. He's no threat."
Anger flashed in Mina's eyes, and she snapped back around towards Yunsung. Talim had a bad feeling she was going to press the issue, so the young priestess shot forward in a roll, placing herself between Mina and the still dazed Yunsung.
"Don't do this" Talim said.
Mina didn't respond, but did not lower her weapon either.
Talim sighed, and raised her tonfas. "I will use force if I have to."
"Please don't let her kill me!" a voice pleaded from behind Talim.
Talim turned, and saw that Yunsung had stumbled to his feet, but there was no sign of any fight left in him.
Talim started to open her mouth to reassure the beaten man that he was safe, but as she did, a bad feeling washed over her. She felt the presence of another, new threat. It was not Soul Edge, which she knew was under her, somewhere in the pit, but instead something completely different.
She spun around towards the direction the evil seemed to be emanating from, and caught sight of a flash of green.
And then the battle truly began.
